Most trucks include a rear cargo box with a floor called a bed. The cargo box is closed off at its rear end by an endgate or tailgate. The endgate is typically hinged at its bottom to the truck along a horizontal axis. In its upright position, it closes off the cargo box. In its lowered position, the endgate allows for loading and unloading of cargo into and out of the cargo box.
The prior art includes numerous tailgate assemblies of varying configurations to provide different functionality. Certain modern vehicle designs, such as General Motors trucks the GM® AVALANCHE® and ESCALADE® EXT, include unusually tall endgates. For example, these vehicles may have a lift-over height, which is the height cargo must be lifted from the ground to clear the top of the cargo floor when the endgate is open, of approximately 34.5 inches. With the endgate in the horizontal, open position, the roach-over height, or length which one must reach to load cargo onto the cargo bed over the horizontal endgate, in these vehicles is approximately 27.5 inches. These dimensions are significantly greater than that found in most other vehicles on the market, such as standard pick-up trucks.